Spraying apparatus.



No. 633,206. Patented Nov. 2a, |899. w. H. mcE.

SPRAYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1899.) (No Model.)

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iUNiTnn STATES PATENT Ormea.

VAYNE IInRICE, OF SOUTH WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT.

SPRAYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,206, dated November 2s, 1899.

Application le'd April lZ 1899.

To 'all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WAYNE H. RICE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the town of South Windsor, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spraying Apparatus, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to spraying devices of that class particularly adapted for use in spraying tobacco, disseminating disinfectant or deodorizing liquids in infected places, such as hospital-wards, and for other purposes.

One object of the present invention is to furnish a portable spraying apparatus of improved and simplified construction and organization which may be readily carried from place to place and be manipulated by hand and which apparatus embodies means whereby the fluid may be caused to issue in large or small drops or in an extremely ne spray.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a spraying device embodying a liquid receptacle or chamber, a discharge-nozzle communicating with the liquid -receptacle and having at the discharge end thereof an atomizing member effective for disseminating the stream, and an air-pum p disposed within and having an outlet-opening communicating with the liquid-receptacle, whereby on operation of the air-pump a plenum of air under pressure will be maintained above the liquid contained in said receptacle by occasional operations of the pump to thereby force the liquid through the discharge-nozzle.

In portable hand-operated spraying apparatus of usual construction embodying an air-pump and liquid-receptacle the liquid is generally fed through the discharge-conduit of the apparatus by its own gravity and the stream or column of water is disseminated or atomized by forcing air against the stream of water by means of the air-pump as the water emerges from the end of the dischargeconduit, and consequent-ly with a spraying device of this kind it is necessary to keep the pump in constant operation, and even then a uniform and constant spraying cannot be obtained for the reason that no air can be forced against the stream during the return movement of the pump-plunger or piston.

A further object of the present invention Serial No. 712,793. (No model.)

is to furnish a spraying apparatus in which the liquid is forced through the dischargenozzle under pressure and will be emitted in a continuous uniform spray and wherein the pump will be operated'only at such intervals as is required to maintain a pressure of air above the liquidthat is, it will be operated only when such pressure becomes so reduced asto be ineffective for forcing the Huid through the discharge-nozzle. Y

lVith these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel details of construction and inthe combination and arrangement of the several parts of the spraying apparatus, as will be hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims. f

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation, partly in central longitudinal section, of a spraying apparatus embodying my present invention, the liquid-discharge nozzle being shown in full lines in its normal inoperative position and in dotted lines in its effective or spraying position. Fig.. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section 0f the discharge-nozzle, taken in a line corresponding with the dotted line, .fr Fig. l; and Fig. Sis a side elevation, partially in section, of a portion of the atomizing member of the dischargenozzle on an exaggerated scale.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the preferred construction and organization thereof shown in the accompanying drawings the spraying apparatus comprises a liquid-receptacle having a discharge spout or nozzle in communication with the lower portion thereof and having a normally-closed supply-opening at the upper end thereof, an air-pump disposed within the liquid-receptacle and having inthe lower end of the casing or cylinder thereof suitable air-outlets communicating with the lower portion of the liquid-receptacle, a iieXible open-ended tubular valve covering the discharge-openings of the air-pump, an atomizing member or streamdeflector secured to the end of the dischargenozzle, and means for regulating the volume of the stream in the discharge-nozzle.

The liquid-receptacle, which is designated in a general Way by B, is in the nature of a cylinder, constructed, preferably, of sheet" IOO ' esaeo metal, having an internally-concaved bottom 2 and an externally-converted top 3 and also having a handle 4, whereby the apparatus may be conveniently carried. Formed in the upper end of the receptacle B is a central opening in which is secured an internallyscrew-threaded sleeve 5, and at one side of this sleeve is another opening, in which is also secured another internally-screw-th readed sleeve 6, in the latter of which is screwed a plug or stopper 7, which may be removed to supply liquid to the receptacle B. In the central sleeve 5 is screwed a hollow packingnut 8, the head of which when the parts are assembled is brought to bear against a flexible gasket, whereby to form an impervious joint. y

The air-pum p, which is designated in a general Way by P, comprises, in the preferred form thereof shown most clearly in Fig. l, a piston cylinder or tube 9, iiXed at its upper end to and extending through the packing'- nut 8 and having at the lower end thereof a diametrically-reduced extension 10, closed at its lower end and having a series of air-discharge openings or perforations 12, the lower end of the extension 10 being in close proximity to the bottom tube of the receptacle, a piston 13, seated in the tube 9 and having a valve-stem 14, extending upward through a bearing formed in a cap 15, fixed to the upper end of the cylinder 9, and which valvestem is furnished at the upper end thereof with a knob or handle 16, whereby the piston may be operated to force air into the liquidreceptacle B.

As a means for closing the discharge-opening in the piston-cylinder against the entrance of liquid into said cylinder during the return movement or upstroke of the piston I have provided a flexible tubular valve 17, which is open at opposite ends and which is preferably formed of rubber and surrounds the reduced extension 10 of the piston-cylinder, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 1.

vThe piston is shown consisting of a head having a cup-shaped ilexible packing secured thereto in a well-known manner, the flexure of the packing permitting air above the piston-head to be drawn belowT said piston-head through vacuum created by the upstroke of the piston, sufficient space being allowed between the upper end ofthe piston-rod and bearing 15 to permit the entrance of air into the cylinder 9 on the downstroke of the piston.

In the form thereof shown in Figs. I and 2 of the drawings the discharge spout or nozzle, which is designated in a general way by S, comprises, in the form thereof shown most clearly in Fig. 2, tubular body portions 18 and l18', connected together by a plug-valve case 19, in which is seated a plug-valve 20, having a thumb-piece 2l, whereby the same may be turned to regulate the volume of liquid entering the discharge end portion I8/ of the nozzle. The body portion 18 ofthe nozzle is furnished at one side thereof with a horizontally-disposed plug-valve 22, seated in a plug-valve case 23 and having ports communicating with the interior of the nozzle and adapted for communication with the inlet-port of the valve-case 23, which case is provided with an externally-sorew-threaded hollow plug fitting a hollow nipple fixed to and communicating with the interior of the receptacle B, at the lower end thereof. The plug-valve 22 in the form thereof shown in Fig. 2 is Xedly secured to the inner end of the body portion 18 of the nozzle and constitutes a pivot whereby the nozzle may be swung upward into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, thus cutting off the supply of liquid to said nozzle, or may be swung downward to the position in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2 to establish communication between said nozzle and the interior of the receptacle B, this being the effective or discharging position of the nozzle S.

As a means for disseminating oratomizing the liquid as it is forced through and discharged from the end of the nozzle S there is provided in connection with the discharge end 18 of the nozzle an atomizing member designated in a general way by S' and comprising, in the preferred form thereof shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a tubular portion 24, fitting the extreme end of the portion 18 of said nozzle and having a central opening 24', which is of lesser diameter than and communicates with the central opening of said nozzle, and

a stream-deliector, shown in the drawings as a cone 25, having the apex thereof cut off to form a plane surface 26, said cone being supported with its longitudinal axis in alinement with the center of the reduced opening 24 of the tubular portion 24, and the plane face 26 of said cone being disposed slightly in advance of the discharge end of the opening 24 and in a plane transverse to a line drawn longitudinally through the center of said opening in such position that the liquid as it is discharged from the end of the opening 24 will strike the plane face 26 of the cone 25, thereby causing said stream to be atomized or reduced to a spray.

I do not wish to limit myself to the particular construction and organization of the atomizing member S shown in the accompanying drawings, as this is capable of various modiiications within the purview ofthisinvention.

In practice means will be provided for automatically shifting the cut-off valve to a closed position or, in case a valve such as shown at 22 in Fig. 2 is used, shift the same from the position shown in said Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, whereby to automatically cutoff the discharge of liquid and incidentally retain the nozzle S normally in a vertical position. For this purpose I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a valve-closing device in connection with the valve 22, such valve-closing device being shown as a spring 28, preferably of spiral form, surrounding that portion of IOO IIO

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the plug-valve between the nozzle and valvecase 23, and one end of which spring is fixed to the nozzle and the opposite end of which is fixed to the valve-case 23 and exerts a valveclosing stress upon the valve 22, as will readily be understood by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction and organization of valves illustrated in the accompanying drawings for regulating the amount of liquid discharged from the discharge-nozzle and for automatically cutting off the supply to said dischargenozzle, as these may be modified within the purview of this invention. l

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings, in which the discharge-nozzle is shown rather short as compared with one generally used when spotting tobacco in the field, is especially designed for use in spraying tobacco in warehouses, spraying disinfectants or deoderizing liquids in rooms, and for other purposes where it is unnecessary to throw the liquid very far from the receptacle; but it will be understood that said apparatus may be successfully used in spraying or spotting tobacco in the ields, although it will be advantageous to use a nozzle of much greater length than the proportions of Fig. l would signify. To render the operation of spotting tobacco successfulthat is, to secure a uniform spotting of the leaves and 'obviate burning them where a spotting or spraying apparatus is used-I have found by practical and varied experiments that it is absolutely necessary -to use a spraying or discharging nozzle having two in dependently-operative devices for controlling the spottinguid or liquid, one a settable valve for determining the size of the drops or spray atoms and the other an automatic or quick-cut-off valve whereby the discharge may be instantaneously cut olf and established, as is necessary when spotting tobacco in the field, for the reason that if but one valve is provided it must necessarily be used both for regulating the size of the spray atoms and also for cutting off the stream, and it is almost impossible to reset the valve after each cutting-off operation so that the spray Will be of uniform density, and the resetting of the valve consumes much time, and the uncertainty of regulation is apt to result in imperfectly-spotted and frequently-destroyed tobacco. By providing, in an apparatus of the class specified, two independent devices in connection with the discharge-nozzleto wit, a settable regulating-valve for determining the size of the spray atoms and an automatic cut-off valve-I am enabled to maintain uniformity in the spray after the regulatingvalve has once been set throughout the spraying or spotting of an entire eld of tobacco, irrespective of the frequency in operations of the cut-off valve, and inasmuch as the practicability of this apparatus is due to the provision and coaction of the two stream or spray controlling devices and the construction and organization herein described is new with me I do not intend to confine my claims to any specific nozzle or atomizing member so long as said nozzle is furnished with two independently-operative stream or spray controlling devices. I

I claiml. A spraying apparatus embodying a liquid-receptacle having a valve-controlled discharge-nozzle in communication with the interior and at-the lower end thereof; an atomizing member secured to the discharge end of said nozzle and embodying a stream-deflector disposed in alinement with, and in advance of, the discharge-opening of said nozzle; an air-pu mp disposed within the liquid-receptacle and including a cylinder having a perforated diametrically-reduced extension at the lower end thereof in close proximity to the bottom of said receptacle; an open-ended iiexible tubular valve surrounding the reduced extension of the pump-cylinder, the construction of the parts being such that a plenum of air, under pressure, will be stored in the receptacle above the liquid on occasional operations of the pump.

2. In a spraying apparatus, the combination with a liquid-receptacle, of an air-pump disposed within, and having its discharge end terminated above the bottom of, said receptacle; a discharge-nozzle having a plug-valve xed to the inner end and at one side thereof and pivotally supported in a valve-case communicating with the interior of the receptacle near the bottom thereof; and an atomizing member carried at the discharge end of said nozzle.

3. A spraying apparatus comprehending a liquid-receptacle including means for storing air under pressure above the liquid contained in said receptacle; a discharge-nozzle includ.- ing a settable regulating-valve for controlling the density of the discharge and an automat-V ically-closable cut-oif valve for controlling the supply; and an atomizing member secured to the outer end of said nozzle and embodying a stream-deflecting cone fixedly secured with its apex in advance of, and central with relation' to, the outer end of the discharge-nozzle, and having the apex truncated in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said nozzle.

4. In a spraying device, the combination with aliquidreceptacle,and with an air-pump disposed therein and operable for storing air under pressure above the liquid contained in said receptacle, of a discharge-nozzle communicating with the interior of said receptacle near the lower end thereof and embodying.

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and the interior of said receptacle, and the other Valve of which constitutes a stream- :regulating valve, and is disposed between the cut-off valve and the discharge end of said nozzle; and an atomizing member Xed to the discharge end of said nozzle.

5. In a spraying apparatus, the com-bination With a liquid-receptacle and with an airpump disposed in said receptacle and constructed and operated to store a plenum of air under pressure above the liquid contained in said receptacle; a pivotally-supported discharge-nozzle communicating with the interior of the receptacle and embodying a fixed Valve member which constitutes the pivot on which said nozzle is adapted to swing for establishing and cutting off communication bem tween the discharge end of said nozzle and the interior of said receptacle; a retracting device in connection with and eiiective nor mally for holding the nozzle in a stream-cutting-oli? position; and an atomizing member secured to the discharge end of said nozzle.

6. A spraying apparatusincludingaliquidreceptacle; an air-pump operable for storing air under pressure'in said receptacle; a discharge-nozzle shiftably connected with said receptacle; an atomizing member secured to the discharge end of said nozzle; an automatically-closable eut-offvalve in connection With said nozzle; and a settable regulating-valve connected with said nozzle between the atom'- izing member and cut-off Valve.

Signed by meat Hartford, Connecticut, this Sth day of April, A. D. 1899.

4WAYNE H. RICE.

Witnesses:

BENTON N. PARKER, E. C. WHITNEY. 

